DO-IT Ambassadors
DO-IT Ambassadors are pursuing post-secondary studies and careers. They share their experiences with the younger DO-IT Scholars and Pals, encouraging them to pursue their goals in college and careers.
I live in North Dakota. I am a sophomore at the University of North Dakota. Some of my interests are computer graphic and sound design, and the Internet. Some fun stuff I like are biking, cross-country skiing, listening to and playing rock with my guitar, and playing computer games like Doom. I was an Intern in Summer Study '97.
Hi. I'm 19 years old. I have a learning disability and attend North Idaho Community College. I heard about the DO-IT program through my math and science teachers. It sounded like a lot of fun and it is a lot of fun. I like all sports.
I am from Washington state. I have Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) with some learning disabilities in English and spelling. I enjoy math, astronomy, playing my guitar, exploring music on the computer, bike riding, swimming, and roller skating. I love working on computers. Internet access gives me the tools to explore my interests in computer music and the sciences. I worked in the DO-IT camps last summer and as an Intern at Summer Study. This year I am working at DO-IT summer camps, the UW Adaptive Technology Lab, and DO-IT Summer Study as a paid staff member.
I graduated from high school in Oregon. I attend Eastern Oregon State College. My particular disability is what most call "full" Albinism, which includes lack of pigment in the hair, skin, and eyes. Consequently, I am extremely sensitive to light and burn easily in the sun. I also have a vision loss which came in the Albinism packet; I have the approximate acuity of 20/200, which can make life interesting at times. For hobbies, I like computers, camping, hiking, fishing, hunting, and playing video games.
I live in Washington. I have Psoriatic Arthritis; it affects both my skin and joints. I have very limited range of motion and strength, and I'm sensitive to both extreme hot and cold weather. My interests are science, math, and computers. Since I was a kid, I've always been curious to find out how things work. When not academically engaged, I love playing video games and collecting stuff that catches my interest. Having a computer is great!! It assists me in my education and provides fun at the same time. I love it! I'm planning to go to Shoreline Community College. I won the Seattle Youth Hall of Fame Award in 1996.
I am from North Dakota. I'm 19 years old and I attend the University of North Dakota. My major may be in meteorology. I have had a profound hearing loss since I was born. I enjoy fishing, except for the mosquitoes that are irritating here in North Dakota! I enjoy almost anything outdoors. I have been doing ceramics in college, making bowls, roses, cups, etc. I hope to work with computers. I spend most of my time surfing the Internet. I am an Intern this summer at DO-IT.
I am 21 years old. I would like to pursue computer animation as a career. In my spare time I like to hang out with my friends, draw, listen to music, play video games, and take walks. I am quadriplegic and use a wheelchair. I reside in Washington with my father, stepmother, and five sisters. I will be a junior at Central Washington University this fall.
I attend Highline Community College in Washington state. I have a hidden disability called Dyslexia. I hope to become an architect, carpenter, or go into the Department of Fish and Wildlife. I like basketball, soccer, most all other sports, building, and fishing. The activities that I participated in at school were a club called Earth Corp and the varsity swimming team. I think that the DO-IT program is a wonderful opportunity to communicate with many different people.
I'm a sophomore at Western Michigan University. Later I plan to transfer to Southern Illinios University of Carbondale where my major is recreational therapy. I have Cerebral Palsy and use a wheelchair. My hobbies are rock climbing, waterskiing, and wheelchair basketball. DO-IT has been a really good experience for me. I was an intern at DO-IT Summer Study 1997.
Hello. I am 19 and have a learning disability. I really love getting to know other people. I think e-mail is the most wonderful thing since the low-fat candy bar. I am diabetic. I like to write letters, read just about anything (besides school work), write poetry, sing, and have a social life, even though I don't get to do that a lot. I am currently attending a trade school.
Hi. I am from Washington state. I attend Big Bend Community College. I'm quadriplegic and I use a wheelchair. I hope to become a computer designer. My hobbies include sports, computer, music, and reading. I think the Internet is one of the neatest things the computer industry has made yet. You can learn a whole lot on the World Wide Web. DO-IT is the best thing going. I was an Intern at Summer Study last year.
I live in Washington state. I like computers and working on cars. I like sports. I attend Spokane Falls Community College. I have a brain injury from a bicycle accident.
I am 19 years old and I live in Port Townsend, Washington when I'm not away at school in Illinois. This fall term I'll be traveling in East Asia through my school. I have juvenile diabetes. I have taken ballet all my life and continue dance whenever the chance comes up. DO-IT is a great program. Through it I have met some of the strongest people and made some of the best friends a person could know.
I'll be a sophomore this fall at Whitman College in Washington state. I'm hearing impaired and my interests include genetics, medicine, chemistry, and evolution. I love to swim, travel, and work with animals. DO-IT helped make me aware of how to prepare for college and what kind of disability-related issues to be thinking of. It's a great way to meet people and learn important things.
Hi! I graduated from Filer High School in Idaho. I have eight sisters, two brothers, and two dogs. I have mild Cerebral Palsy which affects my lower extremities. I am so lucky to be a part of the DO-IT program. DO-IT has opened up many opportunities for me. Through DO-IT I have learned so much about myself and others with disabilities. I attend Idaho State University, majoring in pre-medicine. My life-long dream is to become a physician.
I attend the University of Washington and work in the Adaptive Technology Lab. I have a disability called Epidermolysis Bullosa. I don't make enough of a thing called collagen that helps hold skin cells together. I hope to major in computer science because I love working with computers. I hope to design or program software for Nintendo or Microsoft. I like to play video and computer games, listen to music, and hang out with my friends. I was an Intern at Summer Study '97 and worked this summer as paid staff for DO-IT. I won the Seattle Youth Hall of Fame Award in 1996. That's basically me.
Hi. I am from Tacoma, Washington. I will be a sophomore at Arizona State University this fall. I am very active in the choir and traveled to the '96 Heritage Festival in San Francisco! We also sang the national anthem at Candlestick Park. That was a blast! Besides singing, I love to go camping with my older sister and parents. In my spare time, I love to make jewelry for my friends and family. The DO-IT program is a ton of fun!
I live in Oregon with my mom, dad, and a dog named Chester Manly. I have Cerebral Palsy and very limited use of my left hand. Luckily, I can still do many things. I raise pigs, ride horses, go tubing behind the boat, and ride four wheelers at the Oregon Dunes. My biggest interest is in animal science, and I am particularly interested in the great apes and zoo vet science. I also enjoy computers. I will be a sophomore at Rogue Community College. DO-IT has given me the opportunity to have a wonderful computer at home (which helps me tremendously with school work!), and has opened the door to the world through the Internet. My DO-IT summer experiences helped me gain the knowledge I needed to continue my education after high school.
Hi! My disabilities are end-stage renal failure and hearing loss. I'm now recovering from a kidney transplant. I'm in DO-IT because of my interest in biology. Other subjects I enjoy are English, reading, and psychology. I will be a sophomore at Columbia Basin Community College in the Tri-Cities area this fall. I got married this year. Having a computer and access to the Internet helps me research and explore career options. I'm very glad to be a part of DO-IT. It's been an experience I will never forget!
Hello! I attend Eastern Washington University and will be a junior in Fall, 1998. I am studying to become a speech therapist. My disability occurred in 1989, when I was 12. I had an AVM on the left side of my brain which caused me to hemorrhage and, therefore, had a stroke which paralyzed the right half of my body. I now have a limp and my right hand does not work very well. I am interested in the life sciences and anything that has to do with people. I enjoy horseback riding, writing, hanging out with friends, dancing, playing on the computer, and just having a good time! I've worked at Battelle Labs for four summers and I was an intern at the DO-IT Summer Study program in 1995. Being in DO-IT has helped me in school and definitely at work!
I'm from Grand Forks, North Dakota. I was a DO-IT Intern at Camp Courage in 1995. My long-term goal is to become a developer of special technology like speaking devices. I have Cerebral Palsy. I use a wheelchair and a speech synthesizer. I have been helped by technology, and I want to help other people like me use technology. I thank DO-IT for pointing me towards this career. I was an Ambassador for Prentke Romich and I work at the University of North Dakota.
I have Muscular Dystrophy and use a wheelchair. I can access the computer and the Internet using my head. My interests are astronomy, art, and writing. I helped with the DO-IT Summer Study program two summers ago as an intern. I really enjoy DO-IT!
I am a senior at Washington State University. I am 90% deaf, but I don't let that stop me from living a fairly normal life! :) I love to dance, listen to music (at a loud volume of course), rollerblade, and the list can go on forever. I plan to graduate May 1999 with a BS in Biology and then attend graduate school to recieve my masters in physical therapy. I have truly enjoyed my time in college and look forward to attending graduate school.
I live in Washington State. I have Spinal Muscular Dystrophy. I have worked at Battelle Labs for the past three summers. I am currently a junior at the University of Washington. DO-IT has enabled me to meet people and make contacts over the Internet. This program has opened doors for me that normally would have been impossible to open. Now, there are no boundaries as nothing can hold me back.
I live in California. I organized and developed a nonprofit support group for teens with disabilities here in California. I've also been volunteering with local organizations for the blind. I plan to go back to college eventually, but for now I work as a Systems Administrator at an Internet Service Provider which I partially own. I also won the Seattle Youth Hall of Fame Award in 1996. My "disability" is an undiagnosed severe neuropathy.
Hi. I am from Washington state. I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS). My vision is limited as a result of MS. I use large print and voice output programs on my computer. I'm attending Highline Community College in Seattle. My plans are to get a bachelor's degree in computer science when I transfer to a four-year college. I went to a leadership conference and met Bill Clinton. I am glad to be a participant of DO-IT. It has provided me with great experiences.
Hi, I'm 21 years old. I've finished my two year degree at Bellevue Community College in March of '98. After going to Las Vegas for my twenty-first birthday to celebrate, I'm heading to Australia for a month and a half. I work at Nordstrom's in the boys department. My disabilities are Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and a learning disability in English. My hobbies involve the outdoors. I love snowboarding and I have been to the Alps in Switzerland and I can say with confidence, "Utah rules!" DO-IT has enabled me to make a lot of great friends.
Hi! I'm from Vancouver, Washington. My disability of post-polio requires me to wear a leg brace to make walking easier. This autumn, I will be a senior at the University of Washington. My major is speech and hearing science. I have a job that I enjoy at UW's Speech and Hearing Clinic. I interact with clinicians, faculty, and of course, the clients. Having a computer helps me a lot, especially with arranging my classes, my rides with Dial-A-Ride, finding jobs, communicating with professors, doing my homework, and much more!
Hi. I live in Washington and I am 20 years old. I have a learning disability. I have trouble with word comprehension and spelling. I am going to Pierce Community College, studying to become a marine biologist or an oceanographer. My hobbies include alpine skiing, rock climbing, scuba diving, and other sports. I was an Intern in DO-IT Summer Study.
I live in Missouri. I am 22 years old and I have a severe hearing impairment. I completed two years of an engineering program in Washington state. I worked in the UW Adaptive Technology Lab and was an Intern in Summer Study '96. I am going back to school in winter to attend Crowder College in Neosho, Missouri. I'm thinking of pursuing the biomedical field involving technology. Despite my hearing loss I am musically talented. I can play trombone and baritone. I am interested in electronics, math, music, karate, and computers.
I graduated from The Evergreen State College in Washington state with a concentration in computer science. I was an Intern at Summer Study '95 and completed a co-op with Weyerhaeuser. I am blind, with two glass eyes, and use a guide dog (Mogul) for mobility. I use a computer with a speech synthesizer card and screen reading software to access the Internet, do homework, and take notes for classes. My hobbies include basketball, hockey, computers (of course), reading, taking long walks, and generally socializing. I became a married man in August, 1998 and I work full-time at Weyerhaeuser providing computer support.
Hi. I am from Idaho. I finished my freshman year at Utah State over two years ago, majoring in computer science. I enjoy computer programming, hanging out with friends, reading, listening to music, and driving my car. I'm finishing a two-year mission with my church so I have been off the Internet for a while. My disabilities include shortness (only 4' 7"), orthopedic problems in my legs and kidney and associated problems. Being disabled has affected my view of the world - and in most cases has improved my views and attitudes. Being in DO-IT has made me realize that I am not alone in being disabled, but also has made me aware of all of the various disabilities out there.
I live in Washington state and will be a senior this fall at the University of Washington. My disabilities are a health impairment, nervous system dysmorphia, and congenital scoliosis. My interests are physics, biology, theory of math, trigonometry, calculus, and computers. My hobbies are collecting stamps and reading books. The Internet helps me find information and gives me the ability to talk to people.
I am a visually impaired student at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. I hope to graduate with a major in psychology and a minor in criminology. One of my favorite times in college was last year when four other people and myself talked about our disabilities to an audience of college students. I am interested in psychology, math, genetics, Spanish, and the Internet. For fun I like to swim, play basketball, watch movies, listen to music and more. I was an intern at Summer Study '96.
I am working toward my bachelor's degree in Computer Science at the University of Washington. Some of my hobbies are music, Internet, poetry, and laughing. My disability is a mobility impairment. I use a wheelchair to get around all day, seven days a week. I have learned a lot by being in the DO-IT program. DO-IT is the best teacher that I have ever had. Finally, my motto in life is: Treat others the way you want to be treated.
Hi all! I am 20 years old. My disability is Muscular Dystrophy which attacks the muscles. But I get done what I need to. My hobbies include swimming, collecting baseball cards, watching TV, and working on my computer.
My disability is deafness. I work at a company called American Painting. I work as a roofer. I plan to go to community college around my town, and get a degree in manufacturing. I won the Seattle Youth Hall of Fame Award in 1996. You all can call me "lewy," my nickname.
I live in Seattle. My interests include computer programming, reading, writing, and wasting time. My disability is Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita which means my muscles didn't grow to be fully capable, and my joints are frozen in the position they happened to be in when my biological mother caught the virus. I have received some computer programming training and have worked at the University of Washington Adaptive Technology Lab. I was a lab assistant in the 1995 DO-IT summer program at Camp Courage. I work as a telemarketer. I plan to return to college and study political science and journalism.
I work at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle. In 1992, I suffered a gunshot wound to the right hemisphere of my head which paralyzed the left side of my body. I use a one-handed keyboard. I have lived many places, but I like Washington the best. I also won the Seattle Youth Hall of Fame Award in 1996.
I will be a junior at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas this fall majoring in clinical lab science. My disability is a learning disability called Dyslexia which affects my reading, math, and spelling. The DO-IT program has helped me understand my disability and other types of disabilities. It has made me open more doors for myself in believing I can DO-IT for life!
Hi! I graduated from high school in Washington state in 1997. I attend Shoreline Community College. In the future, I would like to teach science. I also enjoy writing. I was born with Cerebral Palsy and I have a neurological disorder that causes low vision.
I live in Oregon. I attend Mt. Hood Community College. I am without any vision. I use a PC with a speech synthesizer, scanner, Braille printer and, of course, a modem. My interests are in biology, communications, radio, and other electronics. I completed an internship with the Oregon Public Broadcasting System in the summer 1997. I had the opportunity to broadcast over the waves. I was also an Intern at Summer Study '95. I've worked at several University of Washington Computer Fairs for DO-IT. I also helped deliver a presentation at Work Now and in the Future in Oregon. I have an internship at the Oregon Commission for the Blind. I train students, install and troubleshoot programs, and do research projects on different types of adaptive equipment. A disability is not a problem as long as you know how to work around it.
Hi. I am currently working on my advanced degree in Science Education as well as my BS in Psychology at Oregon State University. I also teach general chemistry there. I love teaching and hope to someday be a high school or middle school science teacher. I spend my summers working with the DO-IT program as an instructor and tech support assistant. In my free time I enjoy hiking, skiing, swimming, music, and most everything else (except mushrooms and tuna fish!). I worked for DO-IT at Camp Courage in 1996, 1997, and 1998; at Camp Easter Seal in Colorado in 1998; and at the 1996-98 Summer Studies.
I'm beginning my fifth year at the University of Washington. My major is cellular and molecular biology, and I would like to go into genetic research. I am blind as a result of a cancer called retinoblastoma. Three summers ago I was paid to do research on retinoblastoma. I work in the UW Adaptive Technology Lab and I am active in helping in various DO-IT projects. My computer has been invaluable to me. It reads the screen to me. I could not write papers or do homework for classes without it. I use e-mail a lot, which I enjoy, and I have used other Internet resources. I enjoy origami, reading, listening to Mariner games, music, and watching X-Files.
Hi! I'm 21 years old and graduated from high school in 1995. I attend Rogue Community College. I plan to transfer to study mechanical engineering. I'd like to design and build wheelchairs. I have Cerebral Palsy and I use a power wheelchair to get around town; I have strong batteries, so I don't run out of power when I'm miles from home. I'm outfitting it with a laptop computer with communication software. I enter model bridge building contests with my dad, and we do quite well. Several years ago I participated in the Mock United Nations and Mock Political Convention. It was a lot of fun. I enjoy running around on the Internet.
I live on Bainbridge Island, Washington. I completed an Associate Degree and I work for a software company on the island. We specialize in the medical field. Some of our products include a continuous speech product, billing software, and a database system which stores records for pathologists. My disability is called quadriplegia. My hobbies include speaking, talking, and the opposite sex :).
My disability is chronic Lyme Disease. I am 20 years old. I am attending Pacific Lutheran University in Washington. My major is biology (premed). I also like piano and swimming. I have enjoyed being part of the DO-IT program; the best part is the people involved in running it and those who participate. One thing that DO-IT has done for me is to spark an interest in sign language; I am now a certified sign language interpreter.
I'm 21 years old and live in Renton, Washington. I have Dyslexia which messes up the things I read and write. I attend the University of Puget Sound and I am majoring in computer science and math. My favorite sport to play is soccer. DO-IT has been a very positive influence on my life, and I would not have accomplished many things without it. I helped with the 1996 and 1997 DO-IT Summer Studies and have helped deliver several DO-IT presentations.
I currently have a job with USDA Tree Fruit Research Lab in Wenatchee, Washington. I attend Wenatchee Valley College and I plan to transfer to University of Washington in Fall '98. I will be a music major. I was an Intern at the DO-IT Summer Study in 1995, and hope to become more involved with DO-IT when I get to the University of Washington.
I'm 20 years old and attend Seattle Central Community College, concentrating on computer science, deaf studies, and psychology. I have Cerebral Palsy as well as a number of other disabilities. I use several different adaptive technologies which include a large print program, an alternate keyboard, an alternate mouse, a voice input program, and voice output software. I love being on the Internet; it has opened a lot of doors for me. DO-IT has given me opportunities to demonstrate my wide variety of adaptive technologies at conferences including one in Washington, DC in 1996. I was also a DO-IT Intern at Summer Study '97. I work at the University of Washington Adaptive Technology Lab providing assistance to students with disabilities. This summer I am a working for the American Computer Experience computer camp teaching general computer skills, HTML Web page design and BASIC programming to students ages 8-17 on the UW campus. I won the Seattle Youth Hall of Fame Award in 1996.